Saturday features and George Napolitano Jr.’s win streak

Nov 9, 2015 | 50th anniversary of racing, Racing

In the $24,000 co-featured events at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono Saturday night, November 7th,  both winners used “pocket rocket” tactics to emerge with victories — Extracurricular on the trot and Arthur Blue Chip on the pace.
Extracurricular, a veteran Revenue S gelding owned by Darren Mahoney, had a tougher time making his rally effective — as befits a 10-1 shot trying to catch a 1-5 pacesetting favorite, Somebody As. But Extracurricular dug in for the stretch battle with gameness and edged his frontstepping rival while taking a new mark of 1:52 at age nine for the brother team of driver Simon and trainer Rene Allard.
Arthur Blue Chip was the 11-10 favorite in his event and collared pacesetting Somethinginthewind with a bit more ease, but then the son of Shadow Play had to stay in high gear to withstand the persistent first-over Ontario Success, whose bid for victory came up a half-length shy. Dr. Ian Moore conditions the winner, who was third in his Breeders Crown elimination last month, for the Shadow One Stable.
George Napolitano Jr., the winningest driver in North American harness racing this season, visited Victory Lane five times on the Saturday card at Pocono
to raise his margin over second-place Aaron Merriman to 22, with the score now Napolitano 743, Merriman 721.
“George Nap” will get a chance to add to his margin Sunday afternoon at Harrah’s Philadelphia, but then Merriman will compete on four cards — Northfield Sunday night, The Meadows Monday afternoon and Northfield Monday night, and The Meadows Tuesday afternoon  — before Napolitano resumes sulky action here Tuesday night, concurrent with Merriman racing at Northfield.
There are two more weeks of racing in the 2015 season here at The Downs, with the trotters and pacers going on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Saturday evenings this week and next, with the final night November 21.

Tall Cotton Captures Featured Trot at Pocono

Apr 7, 2013 | Racing

April 6, 2013
Tall Cotton led most of the way for a victory in Saturday night’s featured trot at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs. The race carried a purse of $25,000.
Tall Cotton (Revenue S-B Cor Peatra) left from the inside post in a field of six as the 6-5 favorite. Driver Matt Kakaley sent the 7-year-old gelding from the Ron Burke barn to the front around the first turn, and he benefitted from a lack of outside pressure which allowed him to set a comfortable pace. In the stretch, he kicked away from Modern Family to win by two lengths in 1:53:3. Photo King finished 3rd.
It was the first win in three starts this season for Tall Cotton, who is owned by Burke Racing, Weaver Bruscemi, Edwin Gold, and Howard Taylor. He now has 15 lifetime victories and career earnings of $352,331.